Industrial truck



March 12, 1935. T. E. LYONS INDUSTRIAL TRUCK or iginal Filed Nov. 12,1931 Header-e C L M Reissued Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEINDUSTRIAL TRUCK v Theodore E. Lyons, Jeflersonville, Ind., assignor toAmerican Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewJersey 18 Claims.

This invention relates to soap trucks and with regard to certain morespecific features thereof to trucks upon which soapframes are mountedfor the molding of large soap cakes. After molding and removal of theframe the large cakes are transported on their respective trucks toother stations where the cakes are cut into a multiplicity of smallerunits of commercial size.

Heretofore difficulty has existed in this type of device due to leakageof the soap emulsion at the union of the soap frame and the truck and inmany cases frames composed of separate sides have been used, multiplyingthe leakage opportunities. In ordinary practice the soap emulsioncontains caustic soda which acts to expand the emulsion body and furtherincrease the difficulty in providing a suitable seal for the assembledparts.

It is one of the aims of the present invention to minimize theopportunity for leakage and provide a light-weight sturdy truck withwhich a. soap frame may be quickly and conveniently associated for thereception and molding of the soap emulsion and from which the soap framemay be easily removed after the emulsion has solidified. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a truck frame and moldingbottom substantially of pressed metal correlated with wheeled axles andclamping means for the soap frame which shall be relatively simple inconstruction and inexpensive.

Another object is to provide an effective means for preventingdisplacement of the formed cakes after the molding frame or box has beenremoved and while the truck is subject to the shocks and movements oftransportation.

Still another object is to provide a truck having a combined underframeand false bottom which may be quickly and conveniently modified by theinterchanging of the false bottom for one of varying size, and in whichclamping means are provided which are adjustable or easily alterable toaccommodate either size of false bottom.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outparticularly hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the various features ofconstruction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts whichwill be exemplified by the construction hereinafter set .forth and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

In the drawingwherein is shown one of variouspossible embodiments of theinvention;

'fully hereinafter appear.

Figure 1 is a plan view ofthe improved soap truck with fragments of thesoap frame indicated in clamped position;

Fig. 2 is aview on side elevation of the soap truck shown in Fig. 1,parts of the end of the truck being broken away to show more clearly theinterior construction;

Fig. 3 is a View in cross section taken on th line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the truck substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and2, but modified to take a soap frame of different size.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a truck underframe isindicated at 10. This is preferably of pressed metal having a horizontalflooring 11 and a marginal depending flange 12 which is slightlyinturned at the bottom as indicated at 13. End braces 14 connect thelower side of the horizontal flooring with the'inturned portions 13 ofthe flange 12. Side braces 15 correspondingly extend from the horizontalflooring of the underframe to the inturned portions 13 of the dependingflange 12. Spaced lugs 16 are welded to the top of the horizontalflooring for purposes which will more Spaced pedestals 20 preferably ofpressed metal are riveted to the flooring and depend therefrom, eachbeing substantially cut away at 21 to lighten the construction. Boltedto the lower side of the pedestals 20 are axles 22 having suitablewheels 23 at either end thereof. These wheels may be of the plain oranti-friction bearing type as desired.

Mounted on the underframe is a molding element constituting a falsebottom indicated generally at 24, said false bottom comprising a metalmember formed of steel, aluminum, or the like, and supported in spacedrelation with respect to the underframe flooring 11 by central andmarginal timbers 25 and 26, respectively.

As shown clearly in section in Fig. 3, the molding element or falsebottom 24 comprises a body portion or lading supporting floor 27 boundedby downwardly facing channel sections formed in theinstance shown by araised, marginal region or bead 28 which defines a shoulder 29, betweenthe floor 27 and the under surface of the bead 28. The edge portions ofthe false bottom 24 are formed by flanges 30 depending vertically fromand forming parts of the bead 28. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the loweredges of the flanges 30 are in a plane lower than the plane of the floor27 and contact with the floor 11 of the underframe; this constructionproviding the spaced relationship between the floor 27 and theunderframe flooring 11. The side portions of the false bottom 24, moreparticularly the downwardly facing channel side portions of said falsebottom are so formed as to fit the timbers 26.

This lower molding element or false bottom is secured to the underframeby a series of stove bolts 31 which pass through the sheet .metalflooring, the marginal regions, the central and marginal timbers and theflooring of the underframe. substitution of a similarly constructedfalse bottom of difierent width the truck may be modified to mold soapcakes of another size and as will appear hereinafter, the clampingdevices used are arranged for adjustment to operate on the differentsized soap frame. This will involve, of course, the drilling of anotherseries of holes in the underframe flooring for accommodation of thestove bolts.

Preferably the soap frame employed with the present truck is of the unitbox type rather than the separable wall construction. The lower part ofsuch a box is indicated at 40 and the opposite walls may be slightlytapered inwardly and upwardly to facilitate removal of the soap framefrom the molded cake. Along each side wall of the box an angle iron 41is secured having the lower surface of one angle face in alinement withthe lower edge of the box. The soap frame is open at top and bottom andmay be mounted on the underframe exteriorly of and adjacent to the edges30 of the false bottom. A close contact is effected and where the boxemploys the tapered walls described the soap frame is practically wedgedover the false bottom. Clampin devices 50 are provided on opposite sidesof the underframe in the form of bolts 51 having shanks extendingthrough the lower part of the side braces 15 and upwardly throughapertures 54 in the underframe flooring 11. Each bolt is provided with anut 55 and a lock nut 56 at its lower end and at its upper end isprovided with an offset head 57 adapted to be swung into or out ofengagement with the outwardly extending flanges of the angle iron 41.Tightening the nut 55 sets the oifset head down securely against theangle iron, clamping the soap frame to the underframe flooring'with thewooden or composition walls of the soap frame in close engagement withthe side edges of the false bottom 24. This effectively associates thesoap frame with the truck in such a manner as to prevent the leakage ofthe soap emulsion even under the expanding influence of the caustic sodaor other chemicals employed.

Another series of bolt holes is provided through the underframe flooringand side braces 15 as indicated at 60. These are set inwardly from thesides of the truck frame beyond the bolt holes 54 so that when the truckis modified to take a narrower bottom molding element the bolts 50 areremoved from their positions in the holes 54 and inserted in the holes60.

At each end of the truck an aperture is provided in the flooring 11 anddepending flange 12 as indicated at 70. Across this aperture a bar '11extends and, is welded in the angle formed by the flooring and flange.This bar takes the coupling hooks not shown.

The downward pull of the closed clamping members presses the molding boxor frame'firm- 1y against the underframe flooring and the lower part ofthe box is contacted interiorly by the top outer edge of the falsebottomor lower molding element. In using a tapered box as pre- By theremoval of these bolts and the viously described, for draft purposes,there is a wedging action which makes for a tight union of the box andfalse bottom.

In building or reconstructing the trucks for soap frames narrower thanthe one shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, a narrower false bottom 72 isbolted to the underframe flooring (see Fig. 4) and the clamping bolts 50are located in holes 60 where the offset heads are adapted to be swunginto engagement with the angle irons of the narrower soap frame. Theextra series of holes for the stove bolts which secure the false bottomin position may be originally provided for alternative assembly of thebottoms or they may be made at the time of reconstruction.

In using the above described truck the soap frame bordered at its loweredges with the angle iron construction 41 is applied over the falsebottom 24 with its tapered walls closely fitting the edges of the falsebottom. To provide for this assembly the offset heads 57 .of the bolts.50 are swung out of the Way and are later restored to position over theprojecting lower flanges of the angle irons. When the soap frame is thusapplied the spaced lugs 16 on opposite sides of the underframeflooringassist in locating the soap frame and the angle members at thelower part thereof lie within the spaced lugs. The nuts 55 are thenscrewed upon the bolts, firmly clamping the soap frame to the underframeflooring adjacent the edges of the false bottom or lower moldingelement. The lock nuts 56 are then operated to hold the bolts inposition. With the soap frame assembled a soap emulsion is poured intothe cavity formed by the false bottom and the soap frame. This emulsioneventually cools and solidifies, whereupon the clamping devices areloosened and the molding box removed from the truck. The moldedsoap'cake is retained on the truck seated on the false bottom and heldagainst slipping or dislocation by the engagement of the lower part ofthe soap cake with the depressed portion of the false bottom 24. Thetruck may then be moved to another station where the large cake issubjected to other treatments eventually dividing it into 'amultiplicity of small commercial units.

What is claimed is:

1. In a soap truck, an underframe, a false bottom fixedly securedthereto and provided with raised marginal regions, and means on theunderframe for receiving the lower part of a soap frame and holding itagainst the underframe opposite the edges of the false bottom.

2. In a soap truck, an underframe, a false bottom thereon having raisedmarginal regions, and means on the underframe for receiving the lowerpart of a soap frame and holding it against the underframe opposite theedges of the false bottom, said means comprising clamping bolts hav ing'heads adjustable toward and from the said edges.

3. In a soap truck, a underframe, a false bottom thereon having raisedmarginal regions'and a floor portion spaced from the underframe, andmeans on the underframe for receiving the lower part of a soap frame andholding it against the underframe opposite the edges of the falsebottom. I

4. In a soap truck, an underframe, a false bottom thereon having raisedmarginal regionsand a floor portion spaced from the underframe, andmeans on the underframe for receiving the lower part of a soap frame andholding it against the underframe in engagement with the edges of thefalse bottom, said means comprising clamping bolts having headsadjustable toward and from the said edges.

5. In a soap truck, a pressed metal underframe, a pressed metal falsebottom fixed thereon having a floor spaced from the underframe andraised marginal regions with substantially vertical edges, and clampingdevices oppositely disposed with respect to the false bottom havingprovision for receiving a soap frame portion and holding it adjacent theedges of the false bottom.

6. In a soap truck,.a pressed metal underframe, a pressed metal falsebottom fixed thereon having a floor spaced from the underframe andraised marginal regions with substantially vertical edges, and clampingdevices oppositely disposed with respect to the false bottom havingprovision for allowing a soap frame to be mounted on the underframe andfor holding it against the underframe and against the edges of the falsebottom.

7. In a soap truck, a pressed metalwheeled underframe including a floor,a pressed metal molding element mounted on said floor having raisedmargins and edges for contacting a soap frame, and clamping devices onthe underframe adjustable to allow the positioning of the lower part ofa soap frame exteriorly adjacent the edges of the said molding elementand operable to clamp the said soap frame against the underframeadjacent the molding element.

8. In a soap truck, a pressed metal wheeled underframe including afloor, a pressed metal molding element mounted on said floor havingraised margins and edges for contacting a soap frame, and clampingdevices on the underframe adjustable to allow the positioning of thelower part of a soap frame exteriorly adjacent the edges of the saidmolding element and operable to clamp the said soap frame against theunderframe adjacent the molding element, said devices comprising boltsmovable to engage parts of the soap frame and means for tightening andsecuring said bolts when so engaged.

9. In a soap truck, a pressed metal wheeled underframe including afloor, a pressed metal molding element mounted on said floor havingraised margins and edges for contacting a soap frame, and clampingdevices on the underframe adjustable to allow the positioning of thelower part of a soap frame exteriorly adjacent the edges of the saidmolding element and operable to clamp the said soap frame against theunderframe adjacent the molding element, said underframe being providedwith means for relocating the clamping devices at different spacedpoints.

10. In a soap truck, the combination with an underframe of a moldingelement fixed to the upper portion thereof and having raised marginalportions constituting a positioning means for a soap frame.

11. In a soap truck, the combination with an underframe of a moldingelement fixedly secured to the upper portion thereof and arranged inspaced relation relative thereto, said molding element having raisedmarginal portions, a soap frame supported on the underframe in closefitting engagement with the said raised marginal portions and fasteningelements carried by the underframe for releasably holding the soap framein position.

12. A soap truck comprising in combination, an underframe, a soapmolding element fixedly supported by the underframe in spaced relationrelative .to the top of the latter, said molding element being providedwith raised marginal portions, and an open frame releasably supported onthe underframe in close fitting engagement with the outer side portionsof the said raised marginal portions.

13. In a soap truck, the combination with an I ing portion and angularshaped marginalportions at the sides and ends thereof.

15. As an article of manufacture, a molding element adapted to holdemulsions comprising a metal member having a main emulsion receivingportion and channel shaped marginal portions at the edges thereof.

16. A molding element for use with trucks having supporting elements,said element being adapted to hold emulsions and comprising a metalmember having an emulsion receiving portion and channel shaped marginalportions at the sides and ends thereof, said channel shaped portions atthe sides being so formed as to receive said supporting elements.

17. A molding element for use with trucks having supporting elements,said elements being adapted to hold emulsions and comprising a pressedmetal member having a bottom and raised marginal portions so formed asto provide downwardly opening channels at the sides of said element, thelower edges of the side walls of said element being in a plane below thebottom.

18. A molding element for use with trucks having supporting elements,said element being adapted to hold emulsions and comprising a pressedmetal member having a bottom and raised marginal portions so formed asto provide downwardly opening channels at the sides and ends of saidelement, the lower edges of the side and end walls of said element beingarranged in a plane below the bottom.

THEODORE E. LYONS.

